Public · Not ranked by US News
California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA
Figures on this page come from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data. This school has not been individually reviewed, so there is no ranking, aid-policy, or GPA guidance below.
What it may cost by family income
Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $32,122 sticker price. All figures are the full cost of attendance — housing, food, and books included, not just tuition.
| Household income | Est. net price / year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $3,536 |
| $30k–$48k | $3,817 |
| $48k–$75k | $5,835 |
| $75k–$110k | $9,480 |
| Over $110k | $16,069 |
Sticker cost of attendance: $32,122 (out-of-state) · $19,522 in-state.
What the whole degree costs
Every cost figure above is one year. A bachelor's degree is four — sometimes five. Today's-prices makes no assumptions; the second column assumes prices rise ~3.5% a year, in line with recent averages.
| Household income | 4 yrs, today's prices | 4 yrs with increases |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $14,144 | $14,904 |
| $30k–$48k | $15,268 | $16,088 |
| $48k–$75k | $23,340 | $24,594 |
| $75k–$110k | $37,920 | $39,958 |
| Over $110k | $64,276 | $67,730 |
50% of students here graduate within six years. If the degree takes a fifth year, budget roughly one more year at the prices above — ask the school what share of students finish in four.
First-year aid is not guaranteed to repeat — ask California State University-Bakersfield how grants change after year one. That answer moves these numbers more than anything else on this page.
Applying to a specific major at California State University-Bakersfield
94% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.
To find the real figure for your major, check California State University-Bakersfield's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.
At California State University-Bakersfield: 65 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $50,856 median earnings (Computer Science.)
Applicant demand has grown far faster than faculty and seats, so many universities cap CS enrollment, admit to it directly, or require a competitive internal application after enrolling.
Check: Whether the school admits to CS directly, and whether switching into CS later is restricted — the answer changes your real odds more than your test scores do.
At California State University-Bakersfield: 87 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $80,521 median earnings (Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.)
Clinical placement requirements hard-cap how many students a nursing program can take, which routinely makes direct-entry nursing among the most selective programs on a campus.
Check: Whether the program is direct-entry or requires applying again in sophomore year, and how many seats it takes per cohort.
At California State University-Bakersfield: 362 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $36,528 median earnings (Business Administration, Management and Operations.)
Many undergraduate business schools admit their own cohort at application time and are more selective than the university overall; others admit only after two years of coursework.
Check: Whether the business school is direct-admit for first-years, and if not, what GPA the internal application actually requires.
Federal data shows no bachelor's completions at California State University-Bakersfield in engineering, architecture or visual & performing arts, so those are not listed above. Small or new programs can be missing from federal reporting — confirm with the school before ruling one out.
What graduates earn, by major
Median earnings and median federal loan debt for bachelor's graduates of California State University-Bakersfield, by field of study, from the U.S. Department of Education. Earnings differ far more between majors at one school than between schools.
| Major | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. · Business | $36,528 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $20,596 | — |
| Psychology, General. · Social Sciences | $28,671 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | $30,926 | — |
| Sociology. · Social Sciences | $30,363 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $32,282 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. · Nursing | $80,521 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $20,748 | — |
| Computer Science. · Computer Science | $50,856 | — |
| English Language and Literature, General. · Humanities | $28,598 | — |
| History. · Humanities | $22,806 | — |
| Biology, General. · Biological Sciences | $27,874 | — |
Largest programs shown. Earnings are measured a few years after graduation and reflect who enrolls as much as what is taught.
Is California State University-Bakersfield a reach, target, or safety for you?
Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.
Model my odds & cost — freeFigures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with California State University-Bakersfield’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.